


The Best Mother

by ahunmaster, TheBigLoserQueen



Series: Office AU [183]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Children, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Crying, Depression, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Genderbending, Het, Hugs, Human, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-15
Updated: 2015-10-15
Packaged: 2018-04-26 10:50:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5001871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahunmaster/pseuds/ahunmaster, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBigLoserQueen/pseuds/TheBigLoserQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tailgate has a depression spell when Cyclonus isn't home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Mother

Powerline, Noxide, and Cybel were worried. Their mother had been acting weird all day. Well, no, not all day. She had been her normal self this morning, smiling and happy and playing games with them while their father was at work. She had even taken them to the park to play! 

And that was when she had gotten weird. Powerline and Noxide had been by the swings, so they didn't know what had happened. And since Cybel had been sitting with her the whole time, they had asked her if something had happened. She didn't know either. They had been eating some of their mother's homemade sandwiches together and then two other mothers walked by and suddenly, their mother had gone quiet and sad and wouldn't really talk. 

She had taken them home shortly after and made dinner for them, not saying a word. Once she had given them their food, she told them that she was tired and was going to go lie down for a bit. She had said that two hours ago and she had yet to come out of her room.

It happened sometimes. One moment she would be happy and smiling and everything would be fine and then the next, she would look really sad and look like she wanted to cry. She wouldn't though; she would just say she was tired and go to her room.

Their father had always told them to come get him when that happened. And they usually did and he always made her feel better. But he wasn't home yet. Even though it was summer, he still worked. And their mother had said that he might even be late tonight...

Currently, the three six-year-olds were anxiously waiting for Cyclonus to come home. Cybel's was sitting by the door, her hands balled into little fists. Noxide sat by the door to Tailgate's room, leaning up against it and hoping she would come out soon. Powerline waited by the window, peaking outside and hoping to see Cyclonus's car. It was already seven; he should have been home an hour ago.

But he was late. Because he had a meeting today with the people in charge. 

Noxide came up behind Powerline.

"What?"

"Mommy's crying again."

"Oh."

Powerline pressed his face more up against the glass, desperately hoping to see the car soon.

"I wish Daddy would get home soon."

"We could call him."

"But Mommy said only to call Daddy if it is an emergent-cy."

"But it is an emergent-cy! Mommy isn't feeling good."

"Daddy might be coming home now!"

"But he might be at work!"

Noxide puffed out his cheeks before he turned and headed for the TV room.

"Noxide, where are you going?"

"I'm gonna call Daddy and tell him Mommy's not good." 

"But Daddy might be coming home!" Powerline ran over to his brother.

"But he's not home!" Noxide picked up the phone and looked at the numbers Mommy and Daddy had written on it.

"But he might be coming home!" He grabbed the phone to try and put it back.

"But Daddy needs to come home now!"

"Daddy!" 

They both turned to Cybel who had gotten up and was bouncing on her toes. 

"Daddy!"

Both brothers turned to look at each other before hearing the garage door.  That only happened when Daddy came home.

They slammed the phone down and went to go wait with Cybel by the garage door.  They heard it close and the car door too before they finally saw the doorknob turn.

Cyclonus barely had a chance to get inside the house when Cybel ran to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his leg. He nearly stumbled back a bit, but managed to put a hand up to the doorframe to keep himself steady.

"Cybel, what-?"

But he stopped talking when he realized she was starting to cry. Alarmed, he shuffled forward a bit and closed the door behind him. Putting down his brief case and gently pushing her from his legs, he kneeled down in front of her to hug her.

"What's wrong, Cybel? What happened?"

But she was too distraught at the moment, sobbing hard into his shirt and shaking like a leaf. He looked to Noxide and Powerline for answers, though Noxide looked to be on the verge of a breakdown as well. What the hell had happened? And where was Tailgate? Whenever her children got like this, she was the first one to console them!

Unless...

"Where's your mother?" he asked Powerline softly, stretching out his other arm to bring Noxide into his chest to allow him to cry too. He was thankful that at least one of his children was good at keeping collect under stressful situations.

"Mommy's in bed. She's been sad since we came back from the park and after she made us spaghetti, she went to lie down... Noxide said she started crying again."

Cyclonus was so glad he had learned to hold back cursing or else he would have said a bad word in front of his children. This wasn't good. Tailgate would get depressed and he always worried about her when she got like this. 

His wife tended to neglect herself when she got like this.  None had been as bad since... since he had lead her on like that in their first... Not since then. 

He had no idea why these spells of depression happened. They were somewhat understandable after the triplet's births, but the ones before and after were still something that troubled him greatly.

"Did Mommy say anything?" 

"N-No," Powerline said, "Only that she was tired."

Cyclonus held his children closer before he pulled away.  "I'll go see how Mommy's doing.  Why don't you guys go watch some cartoons in the meantime?"

"Mommy makes us snacks before we watch cartoons." Noxide piped up. 

"I'll... get you something. J-Just go to the TV room."

Powerline led his siblings to the TV couch while Cyclonus made them snacks.  It ended up just being jelly and cheese on crackers, but the triplets ate them anyway, knowing Cyclonus wasn't the best cook. With his children distracted, he quickly darted for the bedroom door and knocked on it.

"Tailgate?" 

As usual when she got like this, there wasn't an answer and that only worried him. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and walked inside. Unsurprisingly, the light was off and he could see Tailgate on the bed, underneath the covers and sniffling to herself. Quietly, he closed the door behind him and flipped on the light. 

He saw the covers flinch, but she didn't attempt to move.

"Tailgate."

More sniffling. 

He carefully approached the bed, climbing on top of it and moving to sit next to Tailgate. He knew better than attempt to hold her just yet. It would only make her close herself off even more to him.

"Is there anything you would like me to do?" 

She was quiet for a few moments. He knew he had to get her comfortable before he could ask any questions. She wouldn't talk unless he got her to calm down. Sometimes it took longer than other times, but once she was relaxed enough, she would explain just what had gotten her to such a state.

"Have you eaten yet? Do you want something to eat? Or maybe just tea? I can draw you a bath as well, if you would like that instead."

When she didn't respond, it only worried him more. Damn it, he just wanted to know what had happened! He and the children were worried sick! They had no idea what was wrong or what had even caused this... Generally when she got into these moods, he was already home and the children could get him right away. But she had been alone in their bedroom for two hours alone, allowing her depression to manifest itself within her and no doubt consume her. 

"Tailgate..." He moved closed to her, gently placing a hand down on her back. She twitched, but she didn't try to move away from it, which was relieving. "Please, just... Talk to me. I just... I want to help you. Please."

She didn't respond.  Cyclonus didn't want to think she was too deep into this depression spell, but she wasn't answering.  Shit, shit, this couldn't be happening.  He should have told his children to call him immediately if this happened while he was at work 

But now... she probably wouldn't answer to anything. Holding back the shaking in his arms, he wondered what he could do for dinner that he could leave the kids with while he tried to feed her-

"Hold me."

"T-Tailgate?"

"...Please hold me."

He didn't know what he had done, but Cyclonus complied, laying down next to her and holding her close.  He could feel her snuggled close to his chest like a scared little child.

Primus, what had happened to her?

It was a while later, Cyclonus wasn't sure how long. Maybe thirty minutes. Probably less. But Tailgate finally poked her head out of the covers to look at him.

Oh Primus, what had caused his poor wife to become this tear-stained, snot-filled mess?

"Tailgate?  What... What happened?"

She pressed her face into his chest, hugging him tightly as she felt herself start to shake again. Primus, she felt terrible... She was always making her husband worry. Her children too. All because of her own selfish feelings and stupid emotions and letting things get to her... Those two women were right. She was a terrible mother.

"Tailgate-?"

"S-Sorry, I-I just...! I-I'm so sorry..."

"Tailgate..."

"I'm a bad mom," she sobbed out, shaking her head. "I can't... I can't even let... I just... I-I'm sorry...! I-I'm making Cybel and Noxide and Powerline unhealthy and fat and it'll be all my fault and I-I-I-! I'm just a ho-horrible mother-!"

He shushed her, gently running his fingers through her hair. He didn't have to be a mind reader to figure out that someone had obviously said something to her. He knew that she had taken their children to the park today... Damn suburban mothers. Not all of them, he knew that, but he could think of a few in their neighborhood who acted like stereotypical high school cheerleaders.

And they had decided to target his wife. Because of course such petty women would do something like that. Simply due to the fact that his perfect little wife didn't fit their blonde, preppy ideal. He could only imagine how awful their children would be when they grew up.

He kissed her forehead. "That isn't true at all," he murmured, holding her closer. "You're a great mother, Tailgate. You are always doing your best to make sure our children are well care for and fed. They are perfectly healthy and happy. All because of what you do for them."

"B-But... But I-I don't- I-I-I make mistakes all the time."  Her words became mumbles as her tears soaked through his nice shirt.  "I-I sometimes let them watch TV instead of reading. O-Or I'll let them have extra chocolate if they behaved during play time.  And... And I've spanked them, oh Primus, I spanked Noxide when he ran into the street that one time and I shouldn't have and I should have talked him through it like a good mother, but I'm not and I'm raising our babies badly and I can't forgive myself-!"

"Tailgate, Tailgate, Tailgate..." Cyclonus pushed himself away from her to kiss her teary face.  "It's-"

Before he could even try to comfort her, his wife was already keening as her cries filled the room. Primus, this was not what he wanted to do. He wanted to get her calm, not make her more hysterical.

"Mommy?" 

Cyclonus turned away from his wife to the door. Now that he was focused on it, he could hear the light knocking on it. Crap, his wife's crying must have reached the TV room.

"Mommy? Daddy?" 

He had to do something, but he couldn't leave his wife like this. There was no telling when he'd be able to reach her if he left her like this to care for the kids.

"Wh-Why's Mommy crying?"

Tailgate felt her tears fall faster as she tried to fight them and wipe them away. Damn it, damn it, damn it! She didn't want her children to see her like this! So pathetic and weak and worthless... How could anyone say that she was a good mother? She was terrible, letting her depression and emotions get the better of her like this...

She was supposed to be strong her children. Be there for them. Instead, she was lying on her bed and sobbing like a spoiled brat, unable to do anything but cry and hope that her husband will make things better for her. She wasn't a good mother... Those women had been right. She wasn't a good mother at all.

"I-I'm sorry...!" she whimpered out, turning away from her husband to bury her face into the sheets. "S-So...! So-Sorry...!"

"Mommy!"

Cyclonus was too late.  Before he could try to comfort his wife again, the children had already burst in, tears running down their cheeks as they stormed the bed and climbed on.

"M-Mommy~" Cybel was a mess, tears and snot running down her face as she buried herself under the sheets to get to her mother.

"Momma~"

"Mommy~"

The boys were a mess too, Noxide's face as bad as his sister's while Powerline was doing better, if only at the crying stage. They didn't go under the covers like their sister, but they clung to their mother's covered body as they cried out for her.

"M-Mama~"

"Mommy, don't cry..."

"Don't be sad, Mommy..."

Her children crying only made Tailgate cry harder as she held her daughter close to her. Cybel buried her face into her mother's chest, holding her tightly as her siblings did the same. They hated seeing her so sad. They wished they could do more for her. Their father had explained to them before that she would get sad randomly and sometimes things was too much for her. And while he normally comforted her, they wanted to help too.

She was their mother. They wanted to do more for her, especially when she did so much for them. If she got really sad, they also wanted to be able to help like their father did. Even though they weren't very good at it like he was.

"Mommy, please don't be sad," Powerline whimpered, holding her tightly. "We love you, Mommy... Please don't cry."

"Mama...!" Cybel hugged her tighter. "Mama, mama..."

Noxide didn't say anything and just held her tightly, looking to his father for support. The older man only patted his head before moving to rub his wife's back, whose sobs were getting much quieter now. 

"Tailgate," he murmured softly, leaning down by her head and kissing her hair. "Our children love you... Because you're a great mother. Because you care for them and love them dearly. And they love you just as much for everything you do. You're a wonderful mother, Tailgate. You always have been."

A whine left her as she sniffled again. Her tears were starting to run dry as she sat up to hold Cybel better.  "B-But... But I-!"

"Mommy, you're the best Mommy there is!" Powerline threw himself into her arms.

"We love you Momma. Y-You make us snacks and lets us play and k-kiss us good night a-and read bedtime stories-!"

"Mama~" Cybel interrupted Noxide's blubbering rant to kiss her mother's cheek, not knowing what else to do.

Tailgate hiccupped as she opened her arms further to hold them all to her chest.  Primus, what had she done to deserve these children?  What could she have possibly done to have such kind and wonderful children? How could someone like her ever-?

"Tailgate..." She turned only to be graced with a peck to her lips.  "You are not a bad mother.  No one can tell you that, not when you've raised our beautiful children to be kind and respectful and loving.  There is no greater proof of that."

She turned her face up to see her husband's gaze on her own, his eyes filled with the same love and affection he had whenever he made love to her. Primus, why was she so loved? What had she done to deserve such a wonderful husband and such beautiful children? Her little blessed family... She would never understand why she was allowed to be loved so dearly.

Tailgate sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Tailgate?"

"Mommy?"

"M-Mama?"

"A-Are you okay, Mommy?"

She nodded, still wiping away the last of her tears. "I-I'm okay... Th-Thank you." She turned to her children, leaning down to kiss Cybel's forehead. "I'm okay now, I promise."

"Y-You're not sad anymore?" her youngest whimpered, hugging her tighter.

"No, because you cheered me up."

"Really?" Powerline said, moving closer to hug his mother alongside his brother.

"Yeah... Th-Thank you. I'm feeling much better thanks to you three."

Cyclonus let out a silent breath of relief as he watched his wife pulls her children into her embrace as they all clung to her. Thank Primus... This is what he wanted to see. Her happy and smiling softly. Not sad or depressed or letting other people get to her. There was nothing he loved seeing more than his beautiful little wife content with their children.

"Ah!"

He blinked, seeing that she was now looking worried.

"Tail-?"

"I-I haven't done the chores yet!" she cried, looking horrified. She always got them done before Cyclonus got home and always made sure she had dinner ready for him so when he came home, he wouldn't have to do anything after a long day at work. "I-I didn't even make dinner for you! I need to-!"

Oh, that was the problem. It actually made him chuckle as he moved to sit behind her, pulling her back into his chest as he held his family close. "Don't worry about that now; I'll do it later."

"B-But I-!"

He shook his head and shushed her with a kiss to the cheek. "Just relax. Let's... Let's just stay here a little longer like this. Okay?"

"B-But dinner-"

"Mommy."

She looked down to see her children looking up at her. They didn't want to let go either.

"O-Okay... just a little longer."

Her children hugged her tighter as Cyclonus kissed her neck, his hand coming up to stroke her hair as she began to get her breathing and hiccups under control.

This... this was fine.  This was fine as it was.  It wasn't perfect, but that didn't matter to Tailgate at this moment. 

She was loved and that was all she wanted.


End file.
